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SALE O Y BAD MEAT IN LONDON. 
strychnine in a finely divided state. I refer to “ Hunter’s Infallible Ver- 
min and Insect Destroyer,” and “ Battle’s Vermin Killer.” Both are 
regularly sold in paper packages to any one who chooses to ask for them, 
and pay the sum of threepence. That both “killers” contain severally as 
much strychnine as is sufficient to be fatal to man, may be at once observed 
by examining the quantity furnished in each packet ; but that there might 
not be the slightest doubt on the subject, I have given one of Hunter’s 
packages to a greyhound, and a second to an English terrier dog. In 
both instances, the animals were most violently affected by tetanus, and 
died in a shorter time than any other animal I have poisoned by the pure 
strychnine itself. Not only so, but on examination of the remains of the 
animals, strychnine was detected in every part. It is surely time that some 
restriction should be put upon the sale of strychnine and other deadly 
poisons, either pure, or mixed with some slight colouring matter. It is 
notorious that gamekeepers and other servants of landed proprietors have 
been long in the habit of strewing strychnine embedded in the carcases of 
smaller animals, over the lands they protect, for the avowed purpose of 
destroying vermin ; but where so much risk attends the procedure, and the 
chances of the wrongful application of the strychnine are so many, it ap- 
pears much to be desired that the present partially restricted sale of pure 
strychnine for purposes which are not strictly medical, and the altogether 
free sale of coloured strychnine in packets which do not bear its name, 
should be at least circumscribed, if not'entirely prohibited. 
APPENDIX. 
My assistant, Mr. John J. J. Kyle, has succeeded in detecting strychnine 
in the stomach and intestines of three full-grown mice, to which the 
alkaloid had been administered along with cheese. The process he fol- 
lowed was that of Stas, using chloroform instead of ether. He was 
not successful in demonstrating the presence of strychnine in the other 
organs . — Pharmaceutical Journal. 
SALE OE BAD MEAT IN LONDON. 
A committee appointed by the Metropolitan Association 
of Medical Officers of Health have issued a report on the 
subject of unwholesome meat. The report shows — 1. That 
large quantities of unwholesome meat are sold in London. 
In the year 1855, 26 live animals, 612 entire carcasses, 6 96 
quarters, 8 sides, and 227 joints of beef, mutton, veal, and 
lamb were seized as bad in the city, besides great numbers 
of poultry and game. But much meat which could not be 
sold in the city is sold in the suburbs. 2. That the signs of 
bad meat are colour , which is either dingy or too bright ; 
smell, which is peculiarly sour and sickening ; and a decided 
wetness of the meat and soft flabbiness. 3. That there are also 
special signs of disease. 4. That illnesses are produced by 
the eating of bad meat, as tape-worm from measly pork, and 
poisoning from unsound meat badly cooked. 
